There’s just something about Root Beer and dark rum. Previously we posted a recipe for an adult version of a Root Beer Float called a Rum N’ Root Beer Float. Ahhh, so delicious AND caloric! Well, we recently ran across another recipe on How Sweet Eats calling for Root Beer and rum and just had to try it. Oh my goodness. Equally as delicious and unfortunately as caloric, but so worth some extra exercise to burn it off. The recipe makes a good sized (and powerful) drink, but you could also cut it in half for a super tasty after-dinner dessert liqueur. Enjoy this super easy, super tasty delight!
*We love bringing you amazing rum recipes! Our recipes may contain affiliate links to products that we use. If you click the link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support in helping us to continue providing rumlicious, tropical recipes!
If you’ve spent some time in the Caribbean, chances are you’ve either heard of a Roti or have seen one on a menu. Roti actually means bread, and is sometimes also called chapati. Roti has Indian roots and is frequently paired with a curry dish, such as chicken curry. In the Caribbean, you’ll often find roti’s wrapped around or stuffed with a curry dish such as chicken, beef, conch and goat .
We had our first roti while enjoying a great BVI sailing vacation years ago. The aroma coming from the kitchen had our mouths watering way before we took our first bite. The were savory, warm and served with a side of sweet mango chutney.
A tortilla can be used in a pinch if you don’t have time to whip up some fresh roti’s, but the taste is slightly different and it’s worth the effort! Enjoy!
*We love bringing you amazing rum recipes! Our recipes may contain affiliate links to products that we use. If you click the link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support in helping us to continue providing rumlicious, tropical recipes!
1 1/2 lbsBoneless, Skinless Chicken Breast(cut in bite sized cubes)
1largeOnion(diced)
1tspMinced Garlic
1tbspJalapeño (diced)(Use a traditional Scotch Bonnet Pepper instead of a jalapeño if you like hot and spicy dishes. Just add the whole pepper to the pan with the Chicken Broth)
Add chicken and sauté another 2 minutes, being careful not to let the mixture burn.
Add chicken broth, light brown sugar, ginger, salt, pepper and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then cover and let it simmer on low until the sauce thickens (about 20-30 minutes)
Mix in softened butter and while mixing, slowly add in a small amounts of water at a time until dough becomes soft and pliable.
Sprinkle a large surface with flour (I used a large cutting board) and knead the dough on the surface until smooth.
Divide dough into 5 pieces. Roll each piece into a thin, round shape.
Heat a pan with a small amount of oil. Place one roti in the pan and cook until it begins to brown. Flip the roti and brown on the other side. Repeat with the remainder of the roti's.
Putting them together
Lay out one warm roti, and spoon 3/4 – 1 c of the curried chicken mixture onto the roti.
Fold the roti tightly around the mixture and serve with Mango Chutney.
It’s become a Rum Therapy annual tradition to summarize the 10 Most Visited Rum Therapy Island Posts of the Year and then follow it up with Rum Therapy’s Top 10 Rum Recipe Posts. If there ever was a year that people appreciated a good beverage, it would certainly be 2020 – and that was evidenced by the large amount of visits to our recipe posts!
So now, without further adieu, we present the countdown of Rum Therapy’s Top 10 Rum Recipe Posts of 2020!
So perhaps drinking wasn’t the only this on people’s mind in 2020? In 9th place is a version of Sex on the Beach using rum instead of the normal vodka. Better than the real thing? You be the judge… Recipe here.
There are numerous recipes floating around for Rum Runners and they all look pretty good, but this recipe for a frozen version is one we especially enjoy during hot summer days. Get the recipe here.
One of the easiest and most versatile rum recipes, the Caribbean Rum Punch can be changed up to include any fruit juice you have on hand. Get the recipe here.
The fact that this one was #3 this year was a bit of a shock. I mean, more visits than the The Perfect Mojito? Or these Mojito Variations? However you like your mojito, you can find a recipe for it on our website, and find the Dark Mojito Recipe here.
And #1 for the second year in a row, The Bushwacker!
With Coconut Rum, Bailey’s, Kahlua, Amaretto and chocolate, these taste like an adult milkshake, but watch out – they pack a punch! Find the Bushwacker recipe here!
We’re looking forward to saying goodbye to this year, so Cheers to the end of 2020 and here’s many more rum recipes in 2021!
2020 is finally coming to an end and I’m sure many of us will not be sad to usher this year out and welcoming a new year in.
Travel to the islands ranged from different to non-existent this year and although many of us had to cancel or reschedule our vacation plans, many of us still did a fair amount of planning and dreaming for future trips. As in years past, there were some posts we expected to make the list, some surprised us,! In case you missed any of them or are ready to do a little dreaming and planning yourself, here’s the countdown.
From #10 to #1, the 10 Most Visited Rum Therapy Island Posts of 2020 are:
Built by hand with conch shells over the span of many years, this little island that sits in the shallow waters of Clifton Bay, Union Island in the Grenadines includes a residence for owner Janti, and a bar. Janti, when he is open and welcoming visitors, will also give you a tour of his unique island. Read more about Happy Island here.
Have you ever wanted to take a flight in a seaplane? Find out about our experience (something that had been on our bucket list) flying in a seaplane from St. Croix to St. Thomas here.
Miles and miles of stunning white sand beaches, stunning turquoise water, luxurious accommodations and delicious food – and that’s not all! Find out more about Turks & Caicos here.
An update to our original post entitled “Barhopping on Jost Van Dyke“. We wrote the update after visiting the island 6 months after being hit by hurricanes Irma and Maria. We were amazed by the spirit and resiliency of of the islanders who had just been through such a tragic and devastating event and the progress they had already made. Read more here.
A floating bar/restaurant in St. John, USVI. Order some rum rib tacos and a frosty beverage and enjoy it while floating in the clear water of Coral Bay. Find out more here.
A totally unscientific quiz that we put together to help celebrate National Rum Day. Take the quiz here, then check your answers to find out your Rum IQ!
No surprise here – this list, compiled of suggestions from you, has been visited many thousands of times since we published it! Looking for songs to put on your beach playlist? You’ll find a wide variety of songs here!
Yesterday we received a special delivery of coffee from Fire Dept. Coffee, a veteran-owned business dedicated to providing great-tasting coffee to people everywhere. They included a package of Medium Roast and one of their signature spirit-infused roasts, the Rum Infused Coffee. We checked out their website to find out more and discovered that every order is freshly roasted in Rockford, Illinois, by a dedicated team of firefighters, first responders, and coffee connoisseurs.
Thank you to Fire Dept. Coffee for providing us with samples of their delicious coffee.All opinions expressed in this post are based on our personal experience with Fire Dept. Coffees.
Inspired by the vital role that coffee plays in helping firefighters stay alert and energized through long shifts, Fire Dept. Coffee was founded in 2016. Founder and CEO Luke Schneider is a full-time firefighter/paramedic and a U.S. Navy veteran who teamed up with firefighter/paramedic Jason Patton who is also a full-time firefighter and VP for Fire Department Coffee.
Fire Department Coffee is run by active and retired firefighters, including their operations officer and chief coffee roaster. They provide a great selection of flavors and roasts, including the standard light, medium and dark, as well as specialty flavors like Donut Shop Coffee, Christmas Blend and their popular Spirit Infusions. The Spirit Infusions include not only rum, but tequila, bourbon and whiskey as well. What a great gift idea for spirit and coffee lovers!
Rum Infused Coffee
Fire Dept. Coffee also supports heroes in need through the Fire Dept. Coffee Foundation. Ten percent of net proceeds are donated to help provide essential resources and assistance to first responders who have been injured on the job, mentally or physically, or who are facing other serious health challenges.
We enjoyed our first cup of Rum Infused Coffee this morning. In the process of infusing the coffee beans, the alcohol is cooked out, but leaves the subtle and sweet flavor of real spirits. The result is non-alcoholic, so it can be enjoyed at any time. With our second cup, we tried adding a splash of rum cream – also delicious!
The 2020 Holidays are fast approaching! Looking for some stocking stuffers or gifts for the rum or island lovers on your list? Check out these 10 Rum Therapy Gifts under $10!
And remember to use code FREESHIP30 for free US Shipping on orders over $30!
I Love Beach Cards Notecards! Matte finish and includes fully printed envelopes. Approximately 3.75 x 5.5″, 10/10 count. $9.95
Buy One – Get One Free! That’s right, 2 for the price of one (while supplies last!)
Rum Therapy Glass Shot Glasses! 1.5 oz with Rum Therapy Cures What Ails Ya Logo with Palm Tree in Deep Sea Blue. Enjoy or pour your favorite rum, Rum Therapy style! $5.99
Keep shopping lists handy with our magnetic list pad! 2 magnetic pads, 50 sheets each, and decorative magnet included! 3.5″ X 8.5″. Great gift idea! $8.95
Marque Reserve Exxtra Anejo Rum is a new rum offering from Golden Age Spirits based in the East Coast of the US. We recently received an attractive bottle of Marque Rum – a blend of rums from the cane fields of Barbados, Panama and Dominican Republic. Each of the individual rums in Marque Reserve are aged 8-10 years in the Caribbean before the final blend is produced. The final product has no sugar in it nor any artificial additives.
This is a sponsored post with Golden Age Spirits although all opinions expressed in this post are based on our personal experience with Marque Reserve Rum.
Drink Rum AND Protect Our Oceans? Count us in! We were also attracted to the initiative that Golden Age Spirits created called Clean 7 Seas. According to Bill Atkinson, Golden Age Spirits CEO and Co-Founder, every bottle sold helps protect our oceans. Golden Age Spirits not only supports several ocean conservation organizations that prevent plastic pollution, preserves sharks and restores coral reefs, they strive to do their best to not increase pollution by creating bottles and packaging that is ethically sourced and completely plastic free. Read more about Clean 7 Seas and how they are supporting ocean conservation here.
The Rum for Bourbon Drinkers In their promotional material, Marque Reserve, which is aged in bourbon barrels, was said to be “the” rum for bourbon drinkers. As one of us here at Rum Therapy also appreciates a good bourbon, we were excited to explore this flavor profile.
The Bottle Marque Reserve has a great look. The shape, cork and label took us back to the era of pirates and rum, but with a cool, contemporary touch.
We took a ton of photos of the bottle before opening to preserve the unopened bottle look, all the while wondering what we were about to taste. There was a thick melted wax cap that covered the cork that was affixed quite firmly. After fumbling around, trying to remove the wax, we poured some in a glass and began our tasting.
The Experience The anticipation was worth it. Marque Reserve is interesting. Different than anything we’ve tried. We worried that it might be a bit harsh due to the slightly higher alcohol content (45% ABV), but it quickly smoothed into a very nice combination of vanilla/toffee balanced with a pleasant toasted oak taste. It received the stamp of approval from the bourbon guy here too.
Recommendations We think you’ll find that this is a great sipper for those of you that prefer rums with no added sweetener. We enjoyed it most without ice to maximize the flavors. It also worked very well in this Winter Marque Cocktail, as well as this Rum Old-Fashioned.
How to Score a Bottle! Marque Reserve can be ordered online in most states from their website (Order Online) or through the retailers also listed on their site (Find a Store).
If you’re looking for a great holiday gift for the serious rum lover on your list, this could be it!
For more information on Marque Reserve Rum and their Clean 7 Seas initiative visit them through the links below:
The internet is full of pictures of enticing Caribbean beaches and sunsets, but there are pretty pictures, and then there are photographs that make you feel like you are actually there. Photographer Steve Simonsen, based on the beautiful island of St. John, USVI, is adept at creating these visual masterpieces – photographs that transport you to the islands. Let’s take a look at the islands through the lens of Steve Simonsen.
Steve didn’t start his career as a photographer, in fact, Steve got started as a Scuba diving instructor. The owners of the dive shop he worked at in Boulder, Colorado (Rocky Mountain Diving Center) encouraged him to get into underwater photography so he could be more well-rounded as a sales person.
Steve is self taught and studied the leading underwater photographers for years, practicing daily as a diving instructor. His photographic style was influenced heavily by the advertising style of posters for Club Med in the early 80’s. Taking photographs now since 1980, his favorite things to photograph are tropical scenes with coconut palm trees, nature, marine life and people.
He and his wife Janet are proud of their work photographing many villas and homes here in the Virgin Islands as well. Janet says her official title in the company is “enabler”. She handles all non-photography tasks for Steve Simonsen Photography.
Steve and Janet have lived on St. John since August of 1991. Janet was brought to St. Thomas (by way of New York) in 1984 to run Aqua Action, the dive shop on St. Thomas at Secret Harbor and Steve arrived in 1987 (by way of Michigan) to be the underwater photographer at Chris Sawyer Dive Center. They were married in 1989 after Hurricane Hugo.
Hurricane Hugo wasn’t the only hurricane they’ve experienced. On September 6, 2017, Irma, a Cat 5 monster hurricane, hit St. John and the surrounding islands with unprecedented force. Steve was in their home when the roof and walls blew off. He struggled outside in the powerful storm for 3 hours before finding his way to the house next door where Janet and their assistant John were hunkered down. He barely made it alive and suffers from PTSD to this day. The silver lining was that with the help of FEMA and the SBA they were able to rebuild and their new home is not only beautiful, but strong. Steve was able, after a few days, to film the disaster and make a short documentary about the storm, “Hurricane Irma, Not a Nice Day”. It can be viewedhere.
Steve has now had a long and distinguished career in photography. In addition to his stunning still photography, he is a videographer and a licensed drone photographer in the VI and loves shooting aerials.
When asked what work they are most proud of, they answered, “Our self published book “Living Art, St. John” which is in it’s third and final print run and has been in print for almost 20 years. We’re also happy to have contributed images to the Audubon Field Guide to Marine Fishes, he was a regular contributing photographer with Caribbean Travel and Life Magazine for 15 years, and we’ve licensed cover images for every North American diving publication. We authored and photographed the Lonely Planet Diving and Snorkel Guide to Puerto Rico and contributed the images for the Virgin Islands edition. And, Carnival Cruise lines flagship, Carnival Breeze, has decorated all their stairwells with Steve’s images.”
A popular project that they release annually is a beautiful St. John Calendar. They will be taking pre-orders for the 2021 edition soon and calendars and photo books can be purchased on their website. Here’s a sneak peek at the 2021 calendar cover.
When asked about exciting projects coming up, Steve and Janet said that they are preparing to enter into the editing phase on two projects: the Leatherback Turtles of Sandy Point, St. Croix and the Tektite project of 1969 here on St. John. Follow their Facebook page for updates on these and other upcoming projects.
As we all know, Covid has had an effect on travel all over the world and has severely impacted areas that depend on tourism. The pandemic makes it very difficult for tourists to determine whether or when to return to the island as most don’t want to return and bring the virus to the island. To help those that can’t return right now combat the St. John blues, the Simonsen’s started a live Facebook feed coined the “Simonsen Sunset Stream” at the onset of the pandemic to bring St. John into the homes of all St. John lovers until they can return. The feedback has been phenomenal. You can follow the daily sunset stream on their Facebook page.
Steve also offers fun family portrait shoots, photography and video classes (land and underwater) and photo safaris. Check out some of his workshops here and contact them to arrange a photo shoot or to find out more about their services. phone: (340) 513-9687 • cell: (340) 690-8986 [email protected]
And lastly, I asked Steve if he had any tips he could share with anyone wanting to improve their photography skills and he said, “Commit yourself to your craft… practice every day and always challenge yourself. Very critically evaluate your own work so you continually improve.”
We recently ran across an Instagram page called blue.salt.abaco. We’ve been big fans of the islands of Abacos, Bahamas since we first visited in 2013 so this name intrigued us enough to read the profile information which said, “Mia & Lisa. Selling bracelets to help rebuild Guana & the Abacos. All proceeds will go to Great Guana Cay Foundation.” The page showed several photos of charming handmade beaded bracelets and we reached out to them to find out more. Lisa got back to me immediately with more information about their bracelets, the cause they are donating the proceeds to, and the story of their personal connection to the Abacos.
Mia and Lisa
This is their story. Our family lived in the Abacos for 3 years on the tiny islet of Great Guana Cay. We loved the simple life even though it meant sending my young kids in a mostly open ferry boat across the sea of Abaco to school everyday. We eventually adapted and became comfortable with all the amazing and challenging ways of island living.
Mia and her brothers headed to school
Excited for the new school year, on August 30, 2019, we attended the kids’ school orientation in Marsh Harbour and then flew out 2 days before Hurricane Dorian made landfall in the Abacos. We booked round trip tickets to NYC as we had grown somewhat used to the hurricane threats of the late summer season. We only took backpacks and 2 carry-on suitcases with us because at that point it was predicted to be a category 1 hurricane. Our group of expat friends jokingly called these evacuation trips “hurrications” when the company would make us leave “just in case”. We never imagined a direct hit by a a category 5 hurricane.
As we watched the storm take a different path than predicted, we felt a physical heaviness bear down on us as it grew closer and closer to home. The anticipation of waiting to hear from our friends and neighbors seemed to last months – not a couple of days. They were riding out the worst storm in the history of the Bahamas that claimed the lives of hundreds, even though the official reported numbers are much lower than that.
After the storm, our house was one of the few houses still standing that wasn’t a complete loss, even though it suffered serious water damage from the roof breaching. The very first year we arrived in Guana, we bought a tiny little bungalow that we were fixing up and in the process of trying to add on to. (*we were asked to record an episode of Caribbean Life back in 2018. The day it ended filming we all decided that none of us were born to be in front of a camera. Haha.)
Mia’s dad went back with his work on a float plane, about a week later. He had never imagined seeing destruction on such an apocalyptic scale in real life.
I returned to Guana six weeks after the storm to salvage what I could from our house, help out a little in the community and say a proper goodbye to what had become our home. The kids had their world torn away and lost most of their material possessions. Unlike their friends who endured extreme trauma and fought for their lives, they were living safely with grandparents but were also feeling emotionally displaced and homeless.
Over the last 11 months our life has been one rollercoaster after the next, but it did not compare to what the Bahamians of the Abacos were going through. To this day they still do not have power, some homes are being repaired but some are completely gone – either washed out to sea or a tile floor sitting on top of a cistern next to a pile of rubble. Incredibly generous volunteers, NGO groups and aid came pouring in, but when COVID hit the groups were having to leave and the focus has shifted to the pandemic and other world issues.
Our family had moved on to a new job and state just a month before quarantine. We might be bored like the rest of the country, but Guana and the people are always on our minds. We always reminisce about the turquoise water, empty beaches, perfect boat days and the paradisaical beauty.
While we picture Guana the way it used to be, we hear from friends there every so often. They are trying to get by when the world is shut down. They are a tourism dependent community like most islands. Some are camping out in their roofless homes or sitting under a generator powered fan to at least keep the hot summer air moving around.
The kids talk about when the world will go back to normal now that they learned school will be virtual this fall. Everytime we feel sorry for ourselves we think of the people of Abaco and Grand Bahamas and how they might feel like we have forgotten them. My daughter and I decided to make the most out of our ridiculous amount of free time and started making bracelets. We wanted to see if we could raise a little money for our island, sending 100% of the proceeds to the Great Guana Cay Foundation. We know the people on the committee and many of the leading members are longtime, if not generational locals. We figured that even if we made a few hundred dollars it still would help someone, whether it was food or supplies. In less than 1 day we had orders for 50 bracelets and now it is 1 week and we have sold over $1200 in bracelets!
My daughter and I run the Instagram account and take turns responding to requests. Mia is making almost all of the bracelets and is the heart of the project. We absolutely love hearing everyone’s connection to the Abacos and especially Guana Cay, whether they have a house there and have been vacationing there since they were kids or a more recent visitor who fell in love with this little piece of paradise. We love everything that reminds us of the Bahamas, and we felt like everyone with a connection might love a little bracelet that reminds them of their time there too.
They can all be personalized to say another place or name if they don’t have a tie to the Abacos but we have been surprised by the ones who order Abacos or Guana Cay. People have been so generous and thrilled that their money is going to help the people recover. The world seems so chaotic right now we just needed something positive to focus our attention on and a goal to work towards.
That is our puppy “Goombay” who is always by her side whether he’s trying to eat beads or keep her company and nap while she works!
Goombay helping to model bracelets!
If you’d like to place an order to help the people of Guana Cay and the Abacos, you can contact Lisa and Mia through their Instagram, Facebook or their brand new Etsy Store. Lisa is also selling prints of some of the photos she has taken on Guana Cay with proceeds also going to the Great Guana Cay Foundation. These would make super holiday gifts for your island loving friends!
Thank you Lisa and Mia for sharing your story with us! We really appreciate your giving spirit!
All photos courtesy of Blue Salt Abacos
Many locally owned businesses in the islands are being hit hard right now due to restricted tourist traffic during the pandemic. Hoping to help in any way we can, we are highlighting some great local businesses that we hope you will enjoy learning about and may want to visit once we are able to travel to the beautiful islands once again. We also want to highlight individuals or businesses that are doing something to assist islanders impacted by hurricanes or the pandemic. Some of these businesses also offer merchandise that you can order, gift certificates and pre-booking options. Be sure to contact them for additional info and watch for more articles soon!
July 31, 1970 marked the end to a centuries old Navy tradition, the last day the British Royal Navy received its last daily rum ration – a tradition that had been in place for 200 years. That day became known as Black Tot Day.
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Black Tot Day, Black Tot Rum, a rum inspired by hundreds of years of Navy tradition, will be hosting a special event celebrating the World of Rum.
About the Event On Friday 31st July, you are invited to join them on Black Tot Rum Facebook Live for the 50th Anniversary of Black Tot Day where they will be hosting the world’s first ever live 24-hour Rum Festival!
The Navy Rum itself was a blend of many different countries and rum traditions from all around the world, and so for the 50th Anniversary it seemed fitting to celebrate many of the key rum regions that were influential in this historic blend.
Joining them for the 24 hours will be some of the greatest rum makers and blenders from around the world today, as well as many of the key figures who are helping to develop and progress the rum category in their local bars and community. There’ll be a huge amount of rum education, and discussion of great rums to taste along with at home, as we look at the past, present, and future of the rum world.
Staying up for the whole 24 hours will be their hosts, Mitch Wilson (Global Ambassador, Black Tot Rum) & Dawn Davies (Head Buyer – and rum lover – at The Whisky Exchange).
They’ll be kicking off the 24 hour celebrations at 10am on Friday 31st July, then raising a tot around the world at ‘six bells in the forenoon’ (11am UK time) to commemorate the very moment that the last navy rum ration, the ‘Black Tot’, was served 50 years ago that day. So set your alarms, pour yourself a tot of rum, and tune into Black Tot Rum Facebook Live, as they bring you a once in a lifetime celebration of rum!
Spirits lovers can join the exploration of blended Caribbean rums through a host of sessions and discussion, including:
7 a.m. EST: “The Pillars of Navy Rum” – offers a look at rums from the different Caribbean Islands that would have made up the final Navy Rum Blend
8:30 a.m. EST: “Tropical vs Continental Ageing” – examines the different results achieved when aging rum in different locations
11:30 a.m. EST: “The Evolution of Dock Rums” – dives into the independent bottlers who bring exotic Caribbean rum to the rest of the globe
1:00 p.m. EST: “Ageing at Sea” – Featuring guest hosts Alexandre Gabriel (Plantation Rum) and Don Benn (West Indies Rum Distillery) the discussion focuses on the ‘Dynamic Ageing’ that took place when the barrels were transported by sea, causing an increased interaction between the rum and the barrel
4 a.m. EST: Event Finale – The event culminates with a virtual trip to famous rum clubs around the world, such as the Sydney Rum Club, Florida Rum Club and Rum Symposium Europe.
The full schedule can be found here. All session times are UK Time.
The event ends at 10:00am on August 1 with the Tall Ships Toast:
There are tall ships, And there are small ships, And there are ships that sail the sea, But the best ships, are friendships, So here’s to you and me!
